


Marketplaces

by Sazuka57



Category: Food Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 21:25:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16668577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sazuka57/pseuds/Sazuka57
Summary: It wasn’t unusual for them to dawdle in marketplaces.





	Marketplaces

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry, I'm not best with tags. Please tell me if there's something I should have tagged so that I may fix it.

Admittedly, it took Steak far too long to realize something was wrong with Red Wine. 

It wasn’t unusual for them to dawdle in marketplaces. There were too many things on display, many of them shiny and fancy, that caught both of their attentions. Steak liked to look at broad swords and armor, things that were practical for battle. Red Wine liked to look at jewelry and find clothing, things that made Steak roll his eyes and walk away. They rarely bought anything, though it didn’t stop them from enjoying themselves, or doubling back to look at certain items again. 

So it really should have tipped Steak off when Red Wine started to become ornery after their trips. He became more standoffish and his words became more aggravating. They would trade insults until they drew their swords and fought, and once a winner was clear, Red Wine would retreat to a bar somewhere to drink himself into a stupor. It left Steak alone and annoyed and wondering why Red Wine had come along. If he didn’t enjoy their trips to the marketplace anymore, then he should let Steak go on his own. But no, the haughty food soul insisted on coming every time, much to Steak’s neverending annoyance. 

It only dawned on him months later, when he caught Red Wine with a dress in his hands. The article of clothing was disgustingly fancy, elaborately decorated with lace and gemstones and other things Steak didn’t remember the names for. It was a shade of sky blue and white and nothing Red Wine would actually wear, yet he had it held against his frame with a pensive frown. 

The thought of Red Wine theoretically buying and wearing the dress shocked Steak to his core, and, aghast, he called out to other food soul. Red Wine turned to face him with a surprised expression that quickly melted away to annoyance. The haughty food soul dropped the dress and walked off, brushing past Steak without acknowledging his existence. Steak turned to follow him and called out to the food soul multiple times, but Red Wine ignored him. This continued until they were away from the marketplace, to which Steak deemed it devoid of enough people to safely cause a scene. He sped up and grabbed Red Wine’s arm, demanding an explanation. 

The punch he received to his nose wasn’t something he had expected, but he was quick to retaliate. Their interaction quickly devolved into a scuffle after that, their fists speaking for them. And Steak understood. Fighting like this only happened when it concerned their master attendants, the ones now long gone from the world. Fighting like this happened only in grief, and Red Wine was grieving again. 

He missed his master attendant. 

The dress, the irritation, the excessive drinking--all of it was to cope. Red Wine missed the princess who had summoned him and was trying to connect with her again. 

Steak mentally scoffed. It obviously wasn’t working. All Red Wine had accomplished was to make himself feel even more miserable. 

Their scuffle ended with both of them on the ground. They were quiet while they recovered, both of them glaring at the dirt underneath them. The silence that fell between them was heavy, and Steak could tell that Red Wine was lost in his own head. He sighed and stood up, then, after a moment’s hesitation, reluctantly offered a hand to help Red Wine up. The other food soul looked at him suspiciously but ultimately accepted the help. 

“Let’s get a drink,” Steak said once he finished dusting himself. Red Wine didn’t reply and instead walked the now-familiar road to the bar. Steak rolled his eyes and followed, though he kept his displeasure to himself. Red Wine was suffering enough as is, and he didn’t need to make it worse right now. He could do that later, after he helped him heal again.


End file.
